Philadelphia Phillies Appear Unlikely to Trade Star Outfielder This Offseason

An MLB insider shut down the possibility that the Philadelphia Phillies could trade one of their stars.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies fell short in the postseason once again, suffering a heartbreaking exit for the third year in a row after their most successful regular season since 2011.

While the previous two gut wrenching endings felt like the team actually overachieved relative to expectations, this exit felt like the first time this core has actually underachieved in the playoffs while entering with high hopes of bringing a championship back to the city.

Now, it's up to ownership and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to figure out how to retool and improve so they can get the job done in 2025.

The team has been linked to the top names in free agency, such as Juan Soto if he chooses not to stay with the New York Yankees, but an undeniable reality is that not everyone will return.

The Phillies will likely make some trades as they try to upgrade, but some have wondered if they could move on from outfielder Nick Castellanos.

Robert Murray of FanSided says that it's unlikely to happen.

"One name that has been floated in reports is Nick Castellanos, but such a trade figures to be highly unlikely considering his production and impact in the Phillies’ clubhouse," Murray wrote.

Prior to the 2022 season, Philadelphia signed Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million deal.

In the three seasons since, he has proven to be worth it with 65 home runs and 254 RBI. More importantly than that, he has been at his best when the lights are brightest with clutch postseason moments during the team's run of playoff success the previous two years.

He's also as dependable as they come, making starts in all 162 games this year and becoming the first Phillies player to accomplish that feat since Jimmy Rollins in 2007. He has become a core member of this team and an important voice in the clubhouse. On top of that, Castellanos has ingratiated himself within the Philadelphia fanbase and quietly become one of the major pieces of the lineup.

The Phillies certainly need to upgrade on offense, but trading Castellanos is not the way to do that.